Gogi Grant, ‘The Wayward Wind’ Singer, Dies at 91

Gogi Grant, the singer whose hit ballad “The Wayward Wind” took Elvis Presley off the top spot on the Billboard charts, died Thursday, her family announced. She was 91.

Grant, who recorded more than a dozen albums over her career, released “The Wayward Wind” in 1956, and it bumped Presley’s “Heartbreak Hotel,” which had been No. 1 for eight weeks, to take the crown. Her version of the song was written by Stanley Lebowsky and Herb Newman.

“The Wayward Wind” would go on to stay at No. 1 for six weeks and sold more than one million copies. Billboard also voted Grant the most popular female vocalist of the year. Other acts to perform “The Wayward Wind” over the years include the Beatles, Patsy Cline, Tex Ritter and Sylvia.

Grant also sang the songs for Ann Blyth in 1957 biopic “The Helen Morgan Story,” and played a recording artist in 1958 movie “The Big Beat” alongside the Del-Vikings, Fats Domino, the Mills Brothers, the Diamonds and Harry James.

Grant’s other hits include “The One I Love Belongs to Somebody Else,” “Suddenly There’s a Valley,” “Who Are We,” “When the Tide is High,” “The Sea,” “You’re in Love.” She also appeared on “The Nat King Cole Show” and “The Ed Sullivan Show.”

Grant was born Myrtle Audrey Arinsberg in Philadelphia and moved with her family to California when she was 12. She first recorded as Audrey Brown, then Audrey Grant, before producer Dave Kapp dubbed her Gogi.

She is survived by her daughter Jeri, son Joshua and two granddaughters.